Article by Miranda Norris, entitled "Bampton's annual Donkey Derby is a runaway success"
Children race donkeys around a field as a much-loved village tradition on bank holiday Monday.
The donkey derby in Bampton is run by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Junketing (SPAJERS), which was formed in 1953 and also runs the village's famous shirt race. Children aged eight and above and weighing under eight stone are allowed to ride the donkeys with a donkey welfare officer in attendance.There are eight races, with six donkeys in each. Each race is sponsored by a local business, and the donkeys are sponsored by villagers.
All proceeds from the event go to events and trips for Bampton's senior citizens.
Visitors to Sandford's Field also tried their hand at games such as crockery smashing and Splat the Rat, while children not keen on donkey racing enjoyed pinning the tail on one.